Driver charged in Worcester hit-and-run has bail revoked

WORCESTER — The driver accused of striking a 10-year-old boy in a crosswalk with her sport utility vehicle and then fleeing Tuesday was taken into custody after her arraignment today in Central District Court. Her previous bail for prior charges was revoked.

A plea of not guilty was entered for Gina Amore, 27, of 109 Mendon St., Apt. 1, Uxbridge, who was charged with failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk and leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury.

Ms. Amore has several outstanding court cases, including charges of cocaine trafficking and child endangerment stemming from an Aug. 1 arrest in Worcester. In addition to drug trafficking and child endangerment (her 4-year-old daughter was in the car), she was charged with speeding, failure to stop for police, and possession of marijuana, Percocet and cocaine. Ms. Amore, a single mother of two, posted $100 cash bail after her Aug. 2 arraignment. That bail was revoked today, and Judge David B. Locke set bail for the new charges at $2,500 cash. Ms. Amore will automatically be held for 60 days until a status review of her bail on Nov. 15. She was also arrested on shoplifting charges on July 12 in Worcester.

All the cases were continued until Oct. 4.

Meanwhile, the boy, who police said crossed the street in a crosswalk at Pleasant and Huntley streets on his way to school about 8:15 a.m. Tuesday, was released from the local hospital where he was treated.

His mother, Darleine Dauphin, was waiting for the crossing guard, Kelly Shea to arrive at her post this morning. The two women hugged.

“Thank God he's OK,” Ms. Dauphin said. “Actually he wanted to go back to school yesterday. He wanted to leave the hospital.”

The boy was thrown 5 feet in front of the vehicle, police said.

"I was just screaming,” Ms. Dauphin said. “My baby, my baby.”

Witnesses gave police a detailed description of the SUV that hit the boy. An officer on patrol found the Ford Explorer at Main and Pleasant streets about 12:40 p.m., police said.

“It was pretty much the worst place to do a hit-and-run,” Ms. Shea said. “Everyone was watching.”